Chapter 8 - The Ultimate Choice
The horrific sight of the deeply beloved priest bleeding heavily in the dirt sent a massive shockwave through the room.
Mateo's hands violently shook as his thumb hovered dangerously over the heavy red button of the detonator.
He knew that if he pressed it now, the massive explosion would instantly kill the innocent priest along with the corrupt men.
Sheriff Davies viciously placed the cold steel barrel of his revolver directly against the back of the crying priest's head.
The Sheriff loudly ordered Mateo to immediately throw the detonator and the ledger straight out of the broken window.
He ruthlessly promised that he would execute the holy man right on the spot if Mateo refused to comply immediately.
Elena aggressively begged Mateo to save the innocent man, tears completely streaming down her dust-covered face.
Mateo was completely paralyzed by the impossible, deeply agonizing moral choice laid out before him.
Suddenly, Lucas violently stepped forward and forcefully snatched the heavy remote detonator entirely out of Mateo's surprised hands.
Mateo shouted loudly in protest, desperately reaching out to grab the highly dangerous device back.
Lucas aggressively backed away and quickly raised his own loaded revolver, pointing it directly at Mateo's chest once again.
The young man's eyes were totally cold and completely unreadable in the dim, dusty light of the old mine.
Lucas stated with completely terrifying conviction that he was not going to blindly die for their ancient sins.
He loudly yelled out to the Sheriff, proudly announcing that he had successfully taken absolute control of the situation.
Lucas offered to completely hand over the heavy detonator, the ledger, and Mateo in exchange for his and his mother's total freedom.
Sheriff Davies laughed uproariously, highly amused by the incredibly dark, absolute betrayal happening right before his eyes.
He entirely agreed to the selfish terms, ordering the young man to walk slowly out the front door with his hands entirely visible.
Mateo felt his entire soul completely shatter into a million irreparable pieces at his own son's ultimate betrayal.
Elena screamed loudly and tried to physically stop Lucas, but the young man shoved her entirely away with surprising force.
He grabbed the ancient ledger and slowly walked out the heavy iron doors into the harsh, blinding glare of the floodlights.
He walked perfectly calmly with his hands raised high, holding the ledger in one hand and his gun in the other.
Sheriff Davies smiled wickedly and slowly lowered his weapon away from the terrified priest's bleeding head.
The Sheriff greedily stepped forward to happily claim his massive prize from the completely defeated young man.
Mateo watched utterly helplessly from the dark window, completely devastated by his absolute, total failure as a protective father.
Davies reached out his heavy hand to grab the valuable ledger, totally dropping his guard for a single, fatal second.
Lucas did not hand over the heavy book as he had promised.
Instead, he looked Sheriff Davies dead in the eye with a highly predatory, completely fearless smile.
He entirely coldly whispered that the Sheriff really should not have trusted a liar's son.
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He rapidly spun his revolver around his finger, immediately pointing the heavy barrel directly at the Sheriff's face.
Before anyone could even react, the deafening roar of a massive gunshot violently shattered the silent night.
